The Arsenal legend believes the Gunners will finish in the top four this season to secure a return to the Champions League

Robert Pires is confident Arsenal will secure a return to the Champions League thanks to a top-four finish this season.

The Gunners appointed Unai Emery as Arsene Wenger’s successor in the summer after the 68-year-old parted company with the north London side following 22 campaigns in charge.

Emery brought in five new players in the summer as the Spanish head coach looked to overhaul the underperforming Gunners squad that he inherited from Wenger.

Arsenal lost to defending champions Manchester City and FA Cup holders Chelsea FC in their opening two Premier League games to raise questions about Emery’s impact.

However, the Gunners have won their last six Premier League games to hoist themselves up to fourth place in the Premier League table ahead of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The north London side were 5-1 winners against Fulham at Craven Cottage earlier this month to produce their best performance under the former Sevilla boss so far.

Arsenal have a five-point lead over Manchester United in their pursuit of a top-four finish to secure a return to the Champions League after a two-season absence.

Former Gunners playmaker Pires is adamant that Arsenal are in a good position to finish in the Champions League qualification spots in the Premier League this term.

“For the moment I am very happy of course for the club because I am an ambassador for Arsenal but especially for Unai Emery because he’s a great manager,“ Pires is quoted as saying by the Daily Express.

“He done well with Sevilla, he won some titles, especially with Paris Saint-Germain last season.

“And of course you know you need to improve every day but Arsenal actually are on a very good run, especially in the Premier League.

“Nine games, nine victories so I think they will finish in the top four, sure, 100 per cent.”

Arsenal eased to a resounding 5-1 win against Fulham in their final Premier League game before the international break thanks to goals from Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Aaron Ramsey.

The Gunners will be hoping to notch up a seventh successive Premier League win when Arsenal welcome Leicester City to the Emirates Stadium in their next fixture on Monday 22 October.

Arsenal will face their first major test of their progress since back-to-back losses to Chelsea FC and Man City when Liverpool FC make the trip to The Emirates in the Premier League on 3 November.